Buckeye man arrested for beating child with a belt

BUCKEYE, AZ — A Buckeye man is facing child abuse charges after he beat his child with a belt, causing serious welts and bruises.

Authorities say Tuesday morning, officers were called to a local elementary school after an employee noticed the child’s injuries.

During their investigation, police discovered the child had been hit with a belt by her father, Robert Sumler, the night before.

In a probable cause statement, investigators say the victim came home from school on February 25th when Sumler began “whooping” her with the belt. When interviewed by detectives, they noticed “extensive” injuries caused by a belt. They noted a “tennis ball-sized welt” above her right knee and two roughly 12-inch long welts: one from her right knee to her shin and another on her right forearm, among others.

Detectives contacted Sumler, who admitted to striking the child in the butt and legs with the belt as punishment for getting in trouble at school.

He also said he was unaware of the child’s injuries because the child was wearing pants at the time.

Sumler was booked into jail and is facing child abuse and aggravated assault charges.